Fork dies



Patented Aug. 12, 1924-.

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GEORGE P. IvIALLOR'Y, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA,ASSIGNOR TO SANITARY PRODUCTS CORPORATIGN OF AMERICA, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A

CORPORATION OF VIRGINIA.

FORK DIES.

Application filed April 11, 1922.

To all whom it may concern:

lie it known that I, Grenon P. MALLORY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Fork Dies, of which the following is a specification,

reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

In This invention relates to machines for forming articles from sheet material and especially, although not exclusively, to die presses for forming forks from paper or similar plastic or semiplastic material.

The invention has for an object to provide an improved die for use in forming,

from sheet material, articles of such shape as to cause them to tend to adhere to the die after their formation, which die, while capable of performing its shaping function in as efficient and reliable a manner as a solid die, is so constructed as automatically to eject the articles formed thereby without,

the use of separate ejectors or knockout pins 95 of the character usually employed for this purpose.

In Letters Patent No. 1,378,707, granted to me May 17, 1921, is shown and described a pair of blanking and shaping, dies for forming paper spoons, said dies comprising handle and bowl forming portions, the handle forming portions being of such a character as to clamp the material along the line of the handle prior to the shaping operation, so as to center the same an insure the accurate shaping of the spoon, and the clamping portion of one of the dies including a movable member adapted also to act as a knockout or ejector. When the dies are separated this movable member is projected from the body of the die and is held in a projected position during the closin of the die and until forced into a retracte position by the thrust of the cooperating die during the shaping operation, so as to engage and clamp the material prior to the engagement thereof with any other part of the corresponding die.

The present invention has for a more particular object the adaptation of dies of the above type to the purpose of making forks. By reason of the fact that the prongs of the fork do notstrip readily from the blanking die, special provision is necessary for ejecting the same. In accordance with the Serial No. 551,505.

invention, the die is so constructed as effectively to accomplish this result, while at the same time permit-ting all shaping portions of the die to remain out of engagement with the material until the latter is 0 firmly engaged by the clamping member above referred to.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention, together with means whereby the same may be carried into effect, will best be 5 understood from the following description of one form or embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a die press embodying the invention.

7 Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical transverse section of the dies, showing the same in their separated position.

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of the dies, showing them in their closed position with a completed fork between the same.

, Fig. 1 is a plan view, and Fig. 5 is an edge View of a completed fork of the type which the dies shown are adapted to make.

Fig. 6 is a detail bottom plan View of the blanking out portion of the upper die.

l Vith certain exceptions hereinafter more fully described, the general arrangement 65 may be substantially as shown in Letters Patent No. 1,378,707, above referred to, to which reference may be had for a further description of certain details not described at length herein. As shown in said prior patent, the frame of the press comprises a base 10 (see Figure 1) with uprights 11 in which is journalled a crank shaft 12, which may be operated by power applied thereto in any suitable way, as through a belt pulley 75. The crank shaft 12 carries a crank arm 13 connected by a pitman 14 with a crosshead or ram 15 which reciprocates in suitable guides 16 carried by the uprights 11. The crosshead or rain carries the movable dies 17 which cooperate with fixed dies 18 carried by the base 10. The cooperating dies 17 and 18 may be of any desiredn number, two oppositely disposed pairs being preferably employed, as in said prior patent. V

The movable dies 17 are mounted in an upper die carrier 19 secured to an upper die plate 20 attached to the ram 15. The upper die plate 20 is guided on posts 21 rising from a lower die plate 22 resting on the base 10. Secured to the lower die plate 22 is a lower die carrier 26 in which the fixed dies 18 are mounted.

Thedies as herein shown are designed to blank out and shape, from a web of paper or other sheet material A (Figure 1), forks of the form illustrated in Figures 4 and 5. Each of said forks comprises a -slightly dished head B formed with prongs a, and a handle C having a shank portion Z2 and a vtip c. The shank portion 7) of the handle is formed with downwardly bent edges to constitute a longitudinal stiffening rib or corrugation which, with slightly modified cross-section, extends into the tip portion 0 and also into the central prong a, the remaining prongs being formed with similar stiffening ribs.

Each die 17 comprises a cutting or blanking out portion 23, a head shaping portion 28, and a handle shaping portion including two parallel members or plates 29 fixed to the portion 23 bypins 3t) and a member or plate 31 movably mounted between the fixed engaging openings in said plates, and a shank which extends upwardly through a sleeve .34; projecting from the back or top .of the die plate 20 and into an opening in the ram 15. VVithin the sleeve 34 is a yielding clamp 35 which frictionally en-' gages the stem 32 and holds the same in any-positioninto which it is moved. The upward movement of the members 31 is limited 'by adjustable stops 36.

Each die 18 com arises a blanking out portion cooperating with the blanking out portion-23 of the die 17 and surrounded by a spring supported stripper plate 24. The blanking out portion of. eachof the dies 18 constitutes also, in substance, the shaping portion thereof and comprises a head shaping part or member 25, a handle tip shapin'g oart or member 2'7, said members 25 and 2 being secured to the die carrier 26,-fixed handle shank cutting members 37 supported by the die carrier 26, and a bandle shank shaping member 38 mounted for .a limited movement in the carrier 26 and between the members 37, said member 38 being supported by springs 39.

Except ashereinafter pointed out, the construction, arrangement, and operation of the, parts above referred to may be substantially as more fully described in my prior patent above referred to. As the ram 15 rises with the movable dies 17, the stem 32 engages a fixed stop in the form of an adjustable knock-out bar 10 carried by the guides 16 and extending through an opening in the ram, thereby moving the members or plates 31 into the projected position shown in Figure 2, Said members 31 remain in this position during the descent of the dies 17, so as to engage and clamp the stock against the members 3, during the dieing out operation, the members 38 being forced back against the springs 39 to the limit of this ll'lOVelTlGllt. 'lhereafter, as the dies 17 continue to descend, the members 31 are forced back by the thrust of the stationary die members 38, so that the members 29 bind the material over the members 27 and 38 to form the handles C, while the members 25 and 28 cooperate to shape the heads B. As the upper dies rise, the springs 39 cause the members 38 to litt the eompleted articles out of the lower die, and said articles are carried up by the upper dies until the stem 32 engages the knockout bar 4E0, whereupon the members 31, which during the ascent of the dies have been held in retracted position by the clamp 35, are projected outwardly to eject said articles.

In the construction shown, the blankingoutportions 23 and 25 ot the upper and lower dies respectively are so termed as to cut out the prongs a of the fork head B, while the shaping portions 28 and 25 re, spectively of said dies are of such a form as to shape said prongs and the stiltening ribs therein. It is found, however, that the nature of the prongs a is such as to cause them to tend to adhere to the corresponding parts a (see Figure 6) of the blanking-out portion 23 of the upper die, so that the forks are not properly ejected by the members 31 as above explained. In accordance, therefore, with the present invention. the head shaping portion 23 of the upper or movable "die is not rigidly secured to the die carrier 19 but is mounted thereon for movement into either its operative or re. tracted position, or into a projected or ejecting position. To this end the member 28 is secured to a stem 41 which extends upwardly through the die plate 20 and is guided for longitudinal movement therein. Said member 28, during the forming operation, rests solidly against the die carrier 19 and forms, in effect, a rigid portion ot the die, but when said die rises the stem 41 engages the knockout bar 10, causing said member 28 to be projected outwardly and thereby stripping the prongs a from the cutter 23.

In order, however, to permit the members 31 to perform their clamping function as above explained, it is necessary that said members engage the stock before the other forming portions of the die, and it is consequently necessary that the member 28 he the upper face of the die plate 20 are interpositioned springs 43 which normally hold the die members 28 in their retracted posiion lift

tions, said springs, however, yielding to permit said members to be projected outwardly by the engagement of the ends of the stems 41 with the knockout bar 40, but acting to return said members to normal position as soon as permitted by disengagement of said heads from said bar. 7

It will thus be seen that, so far as the head shaping portion of the upper die is concerned, said die is, to all intents and purposes, a solid die, its parts being so constructed as normally to occupy their operative positions with respect toone another in the same manner as the parts of a solid die, but being adapted, upon the separation of the dies, to release and eject the formed articles notwithstanding the irregular shape of the latter or the tendency thereof to cling to the die.

What I claim is:

1. In a machine for forming articles from sheet material, a pair of relatively movable dies having cooperating shaping portions, the shaping portion of one of said dies including a part which is movable with respect to the remainder of said shaping portion, means tending normally to hold said movable part in a retracted or operative position with respect to the other parts of the shaping portion of said die, and means for projecting said part out of operative position,

when said dies are separated, to eject said articles.

2. In a machine for forming articles from sheet material, fixed and movable dies having cooperating shaping portions, means for reciprocating said movable die, the shaping portion of said movable die including a movable part having a stem extending through the rear of said die, a spring cooperating with said stem to hold said movable part normally in a retracted or operative position in said movable die, and a fixed stop adapted when said movable die is moved away from said fixed die to engage said stem and project said movable part out of operative position to eject said articles.

3. In a machine for forming forks from sheet material, a pair of relatively movable dies having cooperating portions for shaping the handles and prongs of the forks, the prong shaping portion of one of said dies being separate from the remainder of said die and movable with respect thereto, means for normally holding said prong shaping portion in a retracted or operative position in said die, and means for projecting said part out of operative position when said dies are separated to release and eject the prongs of a completed fork.

4C. In a machine for forming forks from sheet material, fixed and movable dies hav ing cooperating portions for shaping the handles and prongs of the forks, means for reciprocating said movable die, the prong shaping portion of said movable die being separate from the handle shaping portion thereof and movable with respect thereto, a spring for normally holding said prong shaping portion in a retracted or operative position in said movable die, and a fixed stop adapted when said movable die is moved away from said fixed die to engage said prong shaping portion and project the same out of operative position to release and eject the prongs of a completed fork.

5. In a machine for forming articles from sheet material, a pair of relatively movable dies having cooperating shaping portions, the shaping portion of one of said dies comprising a plurality of relatively movable parts, each of said parts being adapted to occupy a retracted or operative position with respect to said die or a projected or ejecting position, one of said parts, when in projected position, acting also to clamp the material against the (cooperating die prior to the shaping operation and being free to remain in said projected position when moved thereinto, means for moving both of said parts into projected position when said dies are separated, and means to move the other of said parts into retracted or operative position when permitted by said projecting means.

6. In a machine for forming articles from sheet material, fixed and movable dies having cooperating shaping portions, the shaping portion of said movable die comprising fixed and movable parts, each of said movable parts being adapted to occupy a retracted or operative position with respect to said fixed parts or a projected or ejecting position, means for holding one of said parts in either of said positions into which it is moved, said last named part, when in projected position, acting also to clamp the material against the fixed die prior to the shaping operation and being moved by said fixed die into retracted position during said shaping operation, a stop adapted when said movable die is moved away from said fixed die to move both of said movable parts into projected position, and a spring for moving the other of said parts into retracted position when disengaged from said stop.

7. In a machine for forming forks from sheet material, a pair of relatively movable dies having cooperating portions for shaping the handles and prongs of the forks, the handle shaping portion of one of said dies having a movable part, and the prong shaping portion of said die comprising another separate movable part, each of said movable parts being adapted to occupy either a retracted or a projected position with respect to said die, the movable part of said handle shaping portion, when in projected position, acting to clamp the mathereint pntil' fofced hack into retreated 'p'ositionby the thriist of seideoope'r'ating die during the closing of the dies; means for movifigiboth of said moveble-pa rts into projected position when said die'sre separated, and mea'nsffoi moving said Inov} able prongisheping'poition :mt'o EB CIZ lCtQd position when permitted" by said projecting means; p p

In a" mzt'chii 1'e fol forini ng'forkfs fio'm shee t nfatefie'l, fixed and movable dies hev ing" cooperating. portions for shaping the handles andpro'ngs of the forks, the-handle shaping" portion of said movablefdie oompfisi ing t'we 'fikedparts and a movabl'e peft. between" saidifike'd' pa'ft's, and the prong shaping portion ofsztid 1 I 1fovebl e die conipiisi ng anothei eparately movable pert, ea'ch of" se'idlnlloveble' parts having a; stern extending through" the rear of said movable die, and eaoh being adapted to occupy either a retracted or a projected position with 'respet to said movable die, the mova'ble pa'it of Said handle shaping portion, when in projected position, acting to clamp the material against the co'ope'retin die prior to the shaping operation, a yie ding clamp cooperating with the stem" of said last named movable part to'hold the same ineither its projected 01 its retracted p0- sition when moved-the'reinto, a 'stop ad ted when said'mov'able'die'js lljIOVd a'w ay 'rom sa id fixed'die, tobe' engaged by the'stems of both'of'sai dm'ovable part s and thereby Inove said parts into projected position'gand Lt-spring cooperating with the stem of silid pron'g shaping pu'ft to move the saline into retracted position When'said' stem is disengaged from said stop.

In testimony whereof" I afiix my signa ture.

GEORGE P. MALLORY. 

